Pfc. Genaro Bedoy with his seven–week–old child. A NATO spokesman says Bedoy and three other soldiers were killed when Afghan police turned on soldiers during an attack at a checkpoint. (Photo: Big Bang Photography)

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Three JBLM Soldiers Killed In Suspected Afghan Police Attack

The Defense Department says three of the four soldiers killed on Sunday in Afghanistan were from Joint Base Lewis–McChord. A NATO spokesman said that Afghan police turned on the soldiers during an attack at a remote checkpoint. KUOW's Patricia Murphy reports.

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All three men were members of the 3rd Stryker Brigade stationed at Joint Base Lewis–McChord.

In local news reports from Amarillo, Texas, friends of 20–year–old Private First Class Genaro Bedoy describe him as a generous and happy new father. Bedoy's wife of less than a year recently gave birth to their first baby.

Nineteen–year–old Private First Class Jon Townsend of Claremore, Oklahoma, was on patrol with Bedoy. He'd been married for three days before deploying to Afghanistan. His mother, Katy Nelson, told a reporter from local TV station News On 6 that she was notified of her son's death on Sunday.

Nelson: "When I seen those uniforms out the window, I knew. And I told you them I don't want you here. I don't want to hear."

Nelson says her son always told her he loved her when they spoke.

The third soldier who died that day was 25–year–old Sergeant Sapuro Nena from Honolulu, Hawaii. Nena entered the army four years ago. He'd been stationed at JBLM for two years. This was his second deployment.

Also killed was 22–year–old Specialist Joshua Nelson of Greenville, North Carolina. He was stationed at Fort Gordon, Georgia.

The DOD says the deaths are being investigated. Insider attacks in Afghanistan have killed more than 50 US and allied service members since the beginning of the year. Now the top US commander in Afghanistan has decided to suspend some joint patrols.